"I knew it could not be allergies," the Arizona resident told
FoxNews.com. "The fluid would come out like a puddle."

CSF rhinorrhea is caused by a small tear or hole in the membrane
surrounding the
brain. It can result from a severe head injury, complications
from surgery or high pressure in the skull (intracranial
pressure).

Because the brain produces roughly 17 ounces (500 milliliters) of
cerebrospinal fluid each day, a runny nose caused by CSF
rhinorrhea can be a seemingly endless problem.

And because a runny nose is such an ordinary complaint, most
people ignore CSF rhinorrhea at first.

"This is one of the more common conditions to be missed for a
long time … because so many people have runny noses," Dr. Peter
Nakaji, neurosurgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix,
told Fox 10 News.

In some cases, the leaking can stop on its own, but there's a
real danger in ignoring the condition: Left untreated, the
cerebrospinal fluid can become infected with life-threatening
meningitis.

In Nagy's case, he had to be treated for his meningitis before
doctors could operate on his CSF rhinorrhea.

The surgery usually involves repairing the hole in the leaking
membrane; the operation is performed through the nasal cavity in
most cases and does not require cutting into the brain or skull.

After dealing with his runny nose for about 18 months, Nagy
wasn't sure his operation would be successful.

"I was waiting for the dribble [because] I was so used to it
every day," he told Fox 10 News. "I got my hankie … nothing. It's
never come back."